[ THEME MUSIC ] >> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," ETHICS REFORM IS ON THE TABLE IN ALBANY AS NEW CONTROVERSIES EMERGE FOR GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO AND THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN.

REPUBLICANS WERE IN ALBANY THIS WEEK INTERVIEWING POTENTIAL NOMINEES.

WE'LL HAVE DETAILS.

THEN WE INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR NEW REPORTER DARRELL CAMP, AND LATER, A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW YORK AND HOW THE RECENT STATE BUDGET PLAYS A ROLE.

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAN CLARK.

ETHICS REFORM IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT EVERY YEAR IN ALBANY.

IT USUALLY PLAYS OUT LIKE THIS.

SOMEONE IN STATE GOVERNMENT, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR A STAFFER, IS ACCUSED OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG, EITHER ILLEGAL OR JUST UNETHICAL, AND SOMETIMES THEY GET CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

OTHER TIMES, IT'S JUST A SLAP ON THE WRIST.

THEN STATE LAWMAKERS TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY CAN STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

THIS YEAR, THE PERSON ACCUSED OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG IS GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, WHO IS UNDER INVESTIGATION OVER CLAIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, MISHANDLING THE STATE'S NURSING HOMES AND USING STATE RESOURCES TO WRITE HIS BOOK LAST YEAR.

CUOMO HAS DENIED ALL OF THAT AND HAS BASICALLY WRITTEN IT OFF AS POLITICAL.

BUT LAWMAKERS ARE STILL CONSIDERING A SERIES OF NEW ETHICS REFORMS IN RESPONSE.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS.

>> YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I DO BELIEVE THERE'S-- THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR-- LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, ETHICS IS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.

THERE'S ALWAYS AN APPETITE TO STRENGTHEN VARIOUS PIECES THAT OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED.

>> AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT LAWMAKERS ARE PLANNING TO DO BUT THEY ONLY HAVE UNTIL JUNE TO DO IT.

THAT'S WHEN THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS SCHEDULED TO END AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE NOW ENTERING A NEW ELECTION CYCLE.

I KNOW.

IT SEEMS EARLY, BUT REPUBLICANS ARE ALREADY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR AND THEY WERE IN ALBANY THIS WEEK TO HEAR FROM A FEW POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.

TAKE A LOOK.

NEXT YEAR'S RACE FOR GOVERNOR HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN.

REPUBLICANS GATHERED IN ALBANY THIS WEEK TO HEAR FROM POTENTIAL NOMINEES.

BUT ONE APPEAR TO STAND OUT.

CONGRESSMAN LEE ZELDIN IS JUST ONE OF JUST TWO REPUBLICANS WHO'VE ACTUALLY DECLARED THEIR CANDIDACY AND STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR NICK LANGWORTHYY SAID HE'S ALREADY AHEAD OF THE PACK.

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE A SAFE ASSUMPTION THAT LEE ZELDIN IS THE FRONTRUNNER BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S DECLARED HIS CANDIDACY TO THAT LEVEL.

>> WHOEVER THE PARTY PICKS AS ITS NOMINEE WILL GO ON NEXT YEAR TO COMPETE AGAINST GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO OR WHICHEVER DEMOCRAT REPLACES HIM ON THE TICKET.

THERE'S SPECULATION THAT CUOMO MAY NOT BE THE PARTY'S NOMINEE NEXT YEAR GIVEN THE MULTIPLE CONTROVERSIES HE'S FACED IN RECENT WEEKS.

AMONG THE LATEST ARE CLAIMS THAT HE USED STATE PERSONNEL TO WORK ON A BOOK HE PUBLISHED LAST YEAR, WHICH REPORTEDLY EARNED HIM MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

CUOMO HAS DENIED THE CLAIMS AND SAID AGAIN THIS WEEK THAT ANY WORK ON THE BOOK BY STATE EMPLOYEES WAS DONE SO VOLUNTARILY.

>> BUT SOME PEOPLE WERE MENTIONED IN THE BOOK.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE OKAY WITH THE MENTION.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REPRESENTED WHAT THEY DID AND THE FACTS CORRECTLY.

SO SOME PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED TO HELP ON THE BOOK.

>> BUT REPUBLICANS ARE HOPING TO CAPITALIZE ON CUOMO'S SITUATION IN NEXT YEAR'S RACE FOR GOVERNOR.

ZELDIN IS ONE OF THEM.

>> I BELIEVE THAT NEW YORK IS READY TO BE RETURNED TO GLORY, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH A CONTINUED REIGN OF ANDREW CUOMO.

>> ZELDIN IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE STATE SENATE WHO IS ELECTED TO CONGRESS IN 2014.

HE MADE HIS MARK IN RECENT YEARS AS A CLOSE ALLY TO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

HE WAS ONE OF FOUR REPUBLICANS FROM NEW YORK TO VOTE AGAINST CERTIFYING THE RESULTS OF LAST YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

BUT WHEN ASKED HOW THAT COULD AFFECT HIS CHANCES AT THE POLLS NEXT YEAR, ZELDIN SAID HE PLANNED TO FOCUS ON OTHER ISSUES THAT MATTER TO VOTERS LIKE THE ECONOMY, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND EDUCATION.

>> I WILL TRIPLE DOWN ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO NEW YORKERS AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN IS THAT YOU WILL GET QUESTIONS TO TRY TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO NEW YORKERS.

>> HE'S NOT THE ONLY TRUMP ALLY SEEKING THE NOMINATION.

ANDREW GIULIANI WAS ALSO IN ALBANY TO MAKE HIS CASE TO PARTY LEADERS.

HE'S THE SON OF FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI AND WAS AN ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

GIULIANI SAID HE WOULDN'T HIDE HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BUT HE ALSO SAID HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD COST HIM VOTES.

>> SO MY INTENTION IS TO APPEAL TO ALL NEW YORKERS AND TO MAKE MY CASE TO THEM AND LET THEM DECIDE WHETHER I'M RED, WHETHER I'M BLUE, WHATEVER.

I AM RED.

I AM TRUE RED, BUT LET THEM DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES ON THE ISSUES.

>> AND TWO PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS TO CUOMO ARE ALSO SEEKING THE PARTY'S NOMINATION.

FORMER WESTCHESTER ROB ASTORINO RAN AGAINST CUOMO IN 2014 AND SAID HE'D BE UP FOR A REMATCH NEXT YEAR AND LIKE OTHER REPUBLICANS, HE'S HEDGING HIS BETS ON CUOMO'S DROP IN POPULARITY.

A NEW POLL FROM SIENNA COLLEGE THIS WEEK SHOWED MORE THAN HALF OF VOTERS VIEWED THE THREE-TERM GOVERNOR UNFAVORABLY.

ASTORINO SAID THAT WILL GIVE REPUBLICANS A LEG UP AT THE POLLS.

>> AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THINGS ARE GOING WRONG IN THIS STATE AND THAT CUOMO IS, YOU KNOW, A NARCISSISTIC SOCIOPATHIC CRIMINAL.

>> BUT DUCHESS COUNTY EXECUTIVE MARK MOLINARO IS ALSO IN THE MIX FOR THE PARTY'S NOMINATION.

MOLINARO RAN AGAINST CUOMO IN 2018, A YEAR WHEN DEMOCRATS WON BIG AT THE POLLS.

HE'S CONSIDERED TO BE A UNIFYING VOICE IN A PARTY THAT'S BEEN SPLIT IN RECENT YEARS BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE SIDED WITH FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT AGAINST HIM AND HIS MESSAGE TO PARTY LEADERS WAS THAT REPUBLICANS COULD ONLY WIN AT THE POLLS IF THEY FOUND AREAS OF COMMON GROUND AMONG VOTERS, LIKE LOWERING PROPERTY TAXES AND PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.

>> HERE'S THE THING.

WE RECOGNIZE AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM RECOGNIZE THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO WIN, WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO RALLY EVERYONE WHO AGREES WITH US BUT CONVINCE ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT ON ANY GIVEN DAY BE A LITTLE SKEPTICAL ABOUT REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.

>> OTHERS WHO AREN'T RULING OUT AN INTEREST IN THE NOMINATION INCLUDE CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE STEFANIK, DOWNSTATE BUSINESSMAN, JOE HOLLAND, ORANGE COUNTY EXECUTIVE STEVE NEUHAUS AND LEWIS COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE CARPINELLI, THE ONLY DECLARED CANDIDATE AS OF NOW.

LANGWORTHYY SAID HE'S HOPING TO AVOID A PRIMARY FOR THE PARTY'S NOMINATION AND THAT THEY PLAN TO COALESCE AROUND A CANDIDATE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

>> I THINK IN A BEST CASE SCENARIO, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS PUT TO BED BY THE EARLY PART OF THIS SUMMER WHERE WE KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A PARTY, WHAT CANDIDATE WE WANT TO BE BEHIND.

>> DEMOCRATS, MEANWHILE, HAVE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHO COULD REPLACE CUOMO AS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR IF HE DECIDES NOT TO RUN, BUT THAT DECISION IS LIKELY MONTHS AWAY AND WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IF CUOMO GIVES UP THE MANTLE.

IT'S ALSO NOT UNLIKELY THAT HE'LL FACE A PRIMARY NEXT YEAR.

ALL OF THAT WILL LIKELY DEPEND ON THE OUTCOME OF THE IMPEACHMENT PROBE LAUNCHED BY THE ASSEMBLY LAST MONTH WHICH COULD TAKE MONTHS TO WRAP UP.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT SOME REPUBLICANS SAID THEY'D BE WILLING TO FORCE A PRIMARY INSTEAD OF GOING WITH WHOEVER THE PARTY WANTS BUT WE'LL KNOW MORE ON THAT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND DURING THAT TIME, WE COULD ALSO HEAR MORE ON THE ASSEMBLY'S IMPEACHMENT PROBE INTO THE GOVERNOR.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AND MORE WITH DARRELL CAMP WHO ACTUALLY JOINED "NEW YORK NOW" THIS WEEK AS OUR NEW REPORTER.

DARRELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING THE TEAM.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

>> OF COURSE.

>> WE'LL GET TO YOU IN A MINUTE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ASSEMBLY'S IMPREACHMENT PROBE FIRST.

THE SENATE COMMITTEE GAVE ITS SECOND UPDATE ON THIS IMPEACHMENT PROBE THIS WEEK.

IT WAS SORT OF A NON-UPDATE, BUT TELL US WHAT WE FOUND OUT.

>> BASICALLY THAT THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO.

I BELIEVE IT WAS 70 AND GOT 200 TIPS AND NARROWED IT DOWN TO FOUR CATEGORIES AS FAR AS WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.

AND THEY ARE THE CATEGORIES YOU WOULD EXPECT, WHETHER OR NOT THE BRIDGE WAS AN ISSUE, THE MARIO CUOMO BRIDGE; IT WAS ABOUT THE NURSING HOME NUMBERS, ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE.

IT'S MORE SO YES, WE'RE STILL PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.

>> I'M REALLY CURIOUS AND THEY DID NOT MENTION THIS DURING THE MEETING, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I'M REALLY CURIOUS THEY RECEIVE OVER 200 TIPS, AS YOU SAID.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT SHARE OF THOSE IS IN EACH CATEGORY.

BECAUSE IF WE HAVE LIKE 100 WOMEN CALLING INTO THIS COMMITTEE SAYING THE GOVERNOR TOUCHED ME INAPPROPRIATELY IN SOME WAY, I THINK THAT'S A HUGE DEAL.

I THINK ANY TYPE TIP IS A HUGE DEAL, BUT IF WE HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED TIPS OF PEOPLE JUST CALLING IN AND SAYING SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL, IT MAY NOT BE AS IMPACTFUL AS I THINK THE ASSEMBLY IS GOING FOR.

>> WELL, WE'RE SO EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S HARD TO SAY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON EACH TIP TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SUBSTANTIAL, SO I THINK WITHIN THE COMING MONTHS AS ARIZONA WE KNOW, IT'S EXPECTED TO GO MONTHS, THE INVESTIGATION.

WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT THING THEY'RE FOCUSING ON MORE.

>> RIGHT.

SPEAKING OF THE GOVERNOR, THERE WAS SOME RAISED EYEBROWS THIS WEEK.

THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER STOOD WITH THE GOVERNOR AT AN EVENT, OPENING A VACCINE SITE OR SHIPPING VACCINES TO A PLACE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

IT WAS SURPRISING BECAUSE-- >> JARRING EVEN.

>> AS OUR VIEWERS MAY REMEMBER, THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ABOUT A MONTH AGO NOW.

>> EARLY MARCH.

A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO.

>> SHE CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR TO RESIGN OVER THE CLAIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

FOR PEOPLE TO SEE HER THERE IT WAS SURPRISING.

WHAT ARE WE GETTING IN TERMS OF REACTION?

>> OKAY.

IT'S EVEN MORE THAN THAT.

THE PROBLEM IS THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS WITH THE THE GOVERNOR, SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE HAVING PRESS IN PERSON AND JUST GENERALLY WHERE SHE STOOD IN RELATION TO THE GOVERNOR, SHE SORT OF TRIED TO MAKE IT SEEM AS IF THEIR ACTIONS ARE SEPARATE.

THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, THE GOVERNOR SOMETIMES OUR WORK OVERLAPS BUT NOT ALWAYS AND BASICALLY REFRAINED FROM PASSING JUDGMENT.

IT SORT OF INVALIDATES HER PREVIOUS CALL FOR HIM TO STEP DOWN IF SHE'S SEEN RIGHT NEXT TO HIM AT AN EVENT ABOUT VACCINATION ACCEPTANCE WHEN SHE COULD DO THAT ON HER OWN.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CALLING OUT HYPOCRISY AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO.

>> SO WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR VIEWERS TO YOU.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THE SHOW FULL TIME WITH ME AS THE NEW REPORTER.

WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

TELL OUR VIEWERS WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.

>> I'M COMING FROM EIGHT YEARS OF RADIO IN THIS AREA.

I USUALLY WOULD COVER LOCAL NEWS AND STATE AND LOCAL NEWS REALLY STARTED TO OVERLAP AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVING LESS OF THAT.

SO WE RAN INTO EACH OTHER JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AT THE CAPITOL DOING THE EXACT SAME THING AS ONE-MAN TEAMS AND I THINK AT THAT POINT, IT SORT OF-- YOU HAD YOUR EUREKA MOMENT WHERE YOU WENT, OKAY, WE SHOULD CONSOLIDATE OUR ABILITIES AND THEN THAT'S HOW I ENDED UP HERE.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

I THINK YOU CAUGHT MY ATTENTION PARTICULARLY AT THE GOVERNOR'S BRIEFINGS IN THE SPRING.

BECAUSE LIKE ME, YOU WERE THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY AND TRYING TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS.

SO I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, DARRELL, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE WITH US FULL TIME.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING STORIES FOR THE SHOW AND APPEARING ON THE SHOW AND YOU BRING A GREAT FAN BASE TO US.

WE LOVE THAT, TOO.

THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO LET'S SWITCH GEARS NOW AND TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN NEW YORK.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE BUT WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF A FULL SCHOOL YEAR DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND HOPEFULLY, IT'S THE ONLY ONE.

MOVING FORWARD, SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK ARE GETTING A HUGE INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE, BUT SOME ISSUES STILL REMAIN.

FOR MORE ON THAT, I TURN THIS WEEK TO ANDY POLLOTTA, POLL, PRESIDENT OF NYSUT, THE STATE'S LARGEST TEACHERS UNION.

ANDY POLLOTTA FROM NYSUT, ALWAYS GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> OF COURSE.

SO WE HAVE A $1.4 BILLION INCREASE IN STATE AID FOR EDUCATION IN THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET, JUST PASSED A FEW WEEKS AGO.

IT'S ABOUT $30 BILLION IN ALL STATE FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS.

IT'S A BIG INCREASE, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE'S TEACHERS UNION, THE LARGEST ONE.

IS IT ENOUGH?

>> WELL, WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE FOUNDATION AID INCREASE.

THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROGRESS FOR SCHOOLS.

WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS FOR YEARS.

WE HAD FUND OUR FUTURE CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR JUST ON THIS TO GET THE FOUNDATION AID TAKEN CARE OF AND GET MONEY INTO SCHOOLS AROUND THE STATE SO THIS IS A VICTORY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS MORE NEEDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE.

SO YES, K-12 DID DO WELL IN THIS BUDGET BUT OF COURSE, HIGHER EDUCATION STILL HAS SOME OUTSTANDING NEEDS.

>> SO LOOKING AT K-12, CAN YOU KIND OF PAINT OF A PICTURE OF WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKE FOR DISTRICTS TO GET THIS FUNDING?

WE HAVE SOME DISTRICTS OBVIOUSLY THAT HAVE STRUGGLED FOR YEARS JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE A NOT SO GREAT PROPERTY TAX BASE.

SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME FUND LEVELS AS OTHER DISTRICTS.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE DISTRICTS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TANGIBLY, I GUESS, FOR THEM?

>> WELL, ABOUT 400 DISTRICTS WILL GET A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FOUNDATION AID, RIGHT?

SO THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF THE NEEDS THAT WE'VE BEEN SCREAMING FROM THE HOUSETOPS ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, RIGHT?

SO SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE BACK BURNER FOR SO LONG, HOPEFULLY, NOW THEY WILL USE THIS MONEY.

THEY WILL SPEND THIS MONEY TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE THE TAX BASE, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS FOR YEARS.

HOW DO YOU HAVE SOME DISTRICTS SPEND 32,000 PER STUDENT AND SOME DISTRICTS SPEND $13,000 PER STUDENT?

THIS GOES A LONG WAY IN ADDRESSING THAT.

>> SO ALSO IN THE BUDGET, THERE IS THIS COMMITMENT TO SEND BILLIONS MORE IN FUNDING TO SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RESOLVE A COURT SETTLEMENT THAT WAS HANDED DOWN ACTUALLY MORE THAN A DECADE AGO IN THE STATE.

IT'S CALL THE CAMPAIGN FOR FISCAL EQUITY.

IT'S GOING TO MEAN A LOT OF MONEY FOR DISTRICTS.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAD ANY DETAIL ON HOW THAT WOULD BE LAID OUT.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE IT WOULD BE A BOOST FOR ALL DISTRICTS?

IS THIS TARGETED?

WHAT ARE WE LOOK AT HERE?

>> THIS IS REALLY TARGETED TOWARD THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN SHORT-CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE TAX BASE THAT OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE.

SO THIS CASE OVER A DOZEN YEARS AGO SAID THIS IS NOT FAIR AND YET ALL THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS, IT HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK.

NOW, WITHIN THREE YEARS, IT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

LIKE ALL THINGS IN ALBANY, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR EYES WIDE OPEN AND ALSO IF WE NEED TO, WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK VERY LOUDLY IN CASE OTHER THINGS COME UP IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND THIS PROMISE ISN'T KEPT.

THIS MUST BE KEPT.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE FOUNDATION AID FINALLY BEING TAKEN CARE OF, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THINGS DO COME UP.

THERE ARE ALWAYS-- WE HEAR THE ANNUAL-- WE HAVE A BUDGET DEFICIT PROBLEM.

>> SO TALK TO ME ABOUT REOPENING.

WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF THE FIRST, HOPEFULLY THE ONLY SCHOOL YEAR.

ALL ENTIRELY IN COVID AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME THE FALL ROLLS AROUND, THINGS SHOULD LOOK A LOT MORE NORMAL THAN THEY DO NOW.

HOW IS IT GOING RIGHT NOW?

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD?

>> OKAY.

SO WHAT WE HAVE IS SCHOOLS ARE OPEN.

SOME ARE IN A HYBRID MODE.

SOME ARE IN THREE DAYS.

SOME ARE IN TWO DAYS.

SOME ARE IN FIVE DAYS.

SOME HAVE BEEN IN FIVE DAYS SINCE SEPTEMBER AND SOME HAVE JUST OPENED ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

SO YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SEE SOME THINGS STAY IN PLACE, THE DISINFECTING, THE MASK POLICIES, THOSE ARE GOOD.

WE'RE ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SOCIAL DISTANCING POLICY AND THE CDC GUIDELINES AND THE DOH GUIDELINES THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY ABOUT SIX FEET GOING TO THREE FEET IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO SEE IN THE FUTURE IN THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE STILL IN APRIL.

WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS LEFT IS THE TESTING.

COVID TESTING BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, HOW DO WE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE NOT SITTING NEXT TO SOMEONE WHO IS ASYMPTOMATIC?

SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE NEW YORK STATE $335 MILLION OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY TO DO COVID TESTING AND NEW YORK CITY GOT $250 MILLION, SO THERE IS PLENTY OF FEDERAL MONEY.

WE JUST NOW NEED TO SEE DISTRICTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GUIDING AND ENFORCING THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF TESTING PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE SCHOOLS ARE AS SAFE AS THEY CAN BE.

>> SO WHAT WOULD THAT TESTING LOOK LIKE?

SOME OF IT IS IN PLACE NOW.

HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TESTED?

>> THERE WAS ONE DISTRICT THAT TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE DOING PROBABLY 20% OF THE STUDENTS, RIGHT, AND STUDENTS AND STAFF.

SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD BENCHMARK.

THERE ARE ONLY 57 DISTRICTS OUT OF 700 THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING COVID TESTING.

AND THAT IS FROM A SURVEY WE DID OF ALL THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

SO WHERE PEOPLE THINK IT MIGHT BE DONE THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IT IS NOT.

AND WE NEED TO SEE THEM ACTUALLY GET THIS DONE AND GET IT DONE IMMEDIATELY.

>> SO SPEAKING OF MOVING FORWARD, WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET OR REGARDLESS OF THE STATE BUDGET, WE HAVE TWO MONTHS LEFT OF SESSION.

ARE THERE ANY SPENDING PRIORITIES OR POLICY PRIORITIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE GET DONE BY LAWMAKERS?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE TEACHER EVALUATIONS WHERE, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ONLINE AND STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ONLINE, BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

SO WE NEED LEGISLATION ON EVALUATIONS AND TENURE TO TAKE ALL OF THESE DIFFICULTIES INTO CONSIDERATION.

JUST THE WAY THEY DID LAST YEAR.

ALSO MANY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE LOOKING FOR AN EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE.

SO NO PENALTIES WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START WITH THAT.

THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST TRYING OF SCHOOL YEARS WE'VE EVER HAD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

ANDY POLLOTTA, PRESIDENT OF NYSUT, THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS, FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> OKAY.

SO THAT'S K THROUGH 12, BUT SUNY AND CUNY ACTUALLY DID PRETTY WELL IN THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET AS WELL.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GO FOR A PUBLIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK, BUT IT'S NOT ALL GOOD NEWS AND IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST STATE FUNDING.

MORE ON THAT WITH FRED KOWAL PRESIDENT OF UUP, A UNION REPRESENTING SUNY WORKERS.

FRED, THANKS FOR COMING BACK.

ALWAYS GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE, DAN.

THANK YOU.

>> OF COURSE.

SO THE STATE BUDGET IS PASSED.

WE HAD QUITE A FEW MOVING PARTS IN THE STATE BUDGET AND WE HAD AN INVESTMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN TERMS OF SUNY AND CUNY.

YOU REPRESENT WORKERS AT SUNY SCHOOLS.

I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, LET'S START BROAD.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE BUDGET PLAYED OUT FOR THE SUNY SYSTEM?

>> WELL, I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, WE EXPECTED A VERY BAD BUDGET THIS YEAR.

IF YOU HAD ASKED ME A YEAR AGO WHERE I EXPECTED THINGS TO BE, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU THAT I WAS TERRIFIED OF THE PROSPECTS.

FORTUNATELY, IT TURNED OUT TO BE MUCH BETTER THAN THAT.

WE ARE ALSO A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS OF A 5% CUT IN THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

FORTUNATELY, THE LEGISLATURE TOOK CARE OF THAT ISSUE, FUNDED THAT PROPOSED CUT, WHICH WAS EXCELLENT, AND ALSO BEGAN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING THE LONG-STANDING ISSUE OF THE TAP GAP.

THAT WILL BRING RESOURCES TO THE SUNY CAMPUSES.

WE ARE GLAD THAT THE TUITION INCREASES HAVE BIPARTISAN POSTPONED FOR THREE YEARS.

THE FREEZE ON TUITION.

THAT'S GOOD.

STUDENTS HAVE BEEN PAYING ENOUGH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN SOME FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS TO THE CAMPUSES.

LUCKILY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY COMING INTO THE STATE DIRECTED TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND TO SUNY SPECIFICALLY AND FOR THAT, WE HAVE TO TAKE-- THANK OUR FRIENDS IN CONGRESS AND ESPECIALLY SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER FOR DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK ON BEHALF OF SUNY AND NEW YORK IN GENERAL.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT.

WE HAVE THIS TUITION FREEZE FOR THREE YEARS.

IS THE SUNY SYSTEM GETTING ENOUGH MONEY EITHER FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDS TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOST REVENUE THAT WOULD COME FROM A TUITION HIKE?

OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO INCREASE THE COST OF PUBLIC HIGHER ED.

I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT SOME SUNY SCHOOLS MAY HAVE PROJECTED THAT AS ANTICIPATED REVENUE.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THE REAL CONCERN IS THAT THOSE CAMPUSES WHERE THERE HAD BEEN ENROLLMENT DECLINES FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, MOST OF WHICH ARE DEMOGRAPHIC IN NATURE AS THE POPULATION IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHIFTS AROUND THERE ARE FEWER PEOPLE LIVING IN MANY UPSTATE AREAS FROM WHICH OUR CAMPUSES HAVE DRAWN IN THE PAST.

SO THERE A LOT OF TUITION REVENUE MAY HURT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WITH THE FEDERAL MONEY COMING IN, THAT IS CRUCIAL, BUT LET'S REMEMBER, THAT FEDERAL MONEY AS GOOD AS IT IS AND AS WELCOME AS IT IS WILL ONLY LAST UNTIL SEPTEMBER OF 2023 AND THEN, CERTAINLY BY THEN, THE STATE WILL HAVE TO COMMIT STATE FUNDING FOR ITS PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS AND SO OUR WORK REMAINS.

WE NEED TO GET THE STATE TO COMMIT LONG-TERM FUNDING FOR THE SUNY SYSTEM.

>> IN THE SHORT TERM IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I KNOW THAT YOU WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THE FUNDING THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE STATE'S TEACHING HOSPITALS, THE PUBLIC HOSPITALS THAT ARE PART OF THE SUNY SYSTEM.

I SHOULDN'T SAY YOU WEREN'T HAPPY.

I THINK THAT YOUR POSITION WAS IT DIDN'T GET TO WHERE YOU WANTED IT TO BE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHERE THAT SHORTFALL WAS?

>> YES.

I THINK I WAS SHOCKED THAT AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS THAT THE RESULT IN THE STATE BUDGET IS THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE THERE COMMITTED TO THE SUNY PUBLIC TEACHING HOSPITALS.

DOWNSTATE IN BROOKLYN WAS A COVID-ONLY FACILITY FOR MONTHS LAST YEAR IN THE DEPTH OF THE CRISIS IN NEW YORK CITY.

UPSTATE, STONY BROOK HAVE CONTINUED TO TREAT PATIENTS IN LARGE NUMBERS AND YET, THE STATE HAS NOT PROVIDED THE SUBSIDY THAT WAS THERE IN THE BUDGET FOR YEARS AND ACTUALLY NOW IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THAT BUDGET HAS BEEN IN THE-- THAT SUBSIDY HAS BEEN IN THE BUDGET AND AT THE SAME TIME, NO PAY WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR HAZARD DUTY IN THOSE HOSPITALS.

NOW, WE BELIEVE WE CAN NEGOTIATE THAT MONEY OUT OF THE MONEY THAT'S COME IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE HAZARD PAY, WELL-EARNED HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY FOR OUR MEMBERS AT THE HOSPITALS.

REMEMBERING THAT WE HAD MEMBERS WHO DIED OF COVID BECAUSE THEY WERE TREATING PATIENTS AND THEREBY KEEPING THE REST OF US ALIVE.

REALLY, DAN, THE BUDGET WHEN IT PERTAINS TO THE SUNY HOSPITALS WAS A VERY BAD DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, I THINK.

I WAS BADLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE OUTCOME, SO WE ARE GOING TO TURN TO OUR FRIENDS IN CONGRESS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN GET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PICK UP THE SLACK IN THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET.

>> SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE HAPPY ABOUT, HOWEVER, WAS A PHASE-IN CLOSE OF THE TAP GAP.

IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING.

I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO HAVE YOU EXPLAIN IT BECAUSE I THINK YOU'LL DO A MUCH BETTER JOB ABOUT IT THAN ME.

TAP, THE AMOUNT THAT SOMEBODY CAN GET FOR TAP IS GOING UP, AND THAT MEANS THAT THE GAP CAN CLOSE.

GO AHEAD.

>> YEAH.

AND IT IS.

TAP IS AN AMAZING PROGRAM IN NEW YORK STATE AND ITS LEADERS JUSTIFIABLY ARE PROUD OF REALLY THE MOST GENEROUS STATE-FUNDED FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND YET BECAUSE OF SOME, YOU KNOW, DESIGN CHANGES THAT WERE MADE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT TO TEN YEARS AGO WHEN THE TUITION PLAN WAS PUT IN PLACE, THE RATIONALE TUITION PLAN, WHAT WAS CREATED WAS A TAP GAP AND THAT IS THE MAXIMUM AWARD THAT NEVER EQUALED THE AMOUNT OF TUITION THAT WAS BEING CHARGED AT INSTITUTIONS.

SO YOU HAD THIS GAP.

CAMPUSES THAT TOOK A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FULL TAP AWARDEES NEVER GOT ALL THE MONEY THAT THEY WOULD GET BY TAKING OTHER STUDENTS.

SO THAT GAP LED TO FINANCIAL LOSSES FOR THESE INSTITUTIONS.

LUCKILY, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR THIS TIME AROUND HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING IT.

THEY'VE INCREASED THE MAXIMUM TAP AWARD.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET THAT COMMITS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO FUND SUNY SUCH THAT GAP IS ELIMINATED THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT'S GREAT.

THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF AN ISSUE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE EXISTED AND NOW THAT PROGRAM CAN WORK EVEN BETTER THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST.

THIS IS A REALLY-- REAL IMPORTANT ADVANCE IN THE STATE BUDGET FOR SUNY.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S GOING TO BE HUGELY IMPACTFUL ON THE SUNY SYSTEM, BUT WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

FRED KOWAL FROM UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, DAN.

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